lets see your Lotus(s)!

lets see your Lotus(s)!

Author
Discussion

leglessAlex

6,003 posts

156 months

Monday 18th May 2020
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RONV said:
unless you have only 1 leg
I can go one better (worse?), I have no legs boxedin

anonymous-user

69 months

Tuesday 19th May 2020
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I am sorry - I did not intend any insensitivity. Is there are way you could convert a manual car to use a hand control? - a friend of mine has that on her modern car, IIRC.

I add that the gear change on a Europa TC and Special lets the car down. The gearbox is by Renault and is OK, but the long linkages make for balky and sometimes missed gear changes. Thus you can get binned off on a roundabout by a Mark 1 Escort with its very fine Ford gearbox, as used in some Elans. You will, however, kick the Escort's butt on a twisty B road.

Edited by anonymous-user on Tuesday 19th May 11:02

leglessAlex

6,003 posts

156 months

Tuesday 19th May 2020
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Breadvan72 said:
I am sorry - I did not intend any insensitivity. Is there are way you could convert a manual car to use a hand control? - a friend of mine has that on her modern car, IIRC.

I add that the gear change on a Europa TC and Special lets the car down. The gearbox is by Renault and is OK, but the long linkages make for balky and sometimes missed gear changes. Thus you can get binned off on a roundabout by a Mark 1 Escort with its very fine Ford gearbox, as used in some Elans. You will, hover, kick the Escort's butt on a twisty B road.
Don't worry, I didn't take any offence!

It's the endless issue with classics for me, and it's very frustrating, but such is life. A very first world problem to have really, and as Lotus put the Camry auto in the Exige and my Evora it's not stopped me from owning a Lotus completely.

Adapted manual is no go. It's technically possible, and more so if the car can have a sequential dog box fitted, so you only have to use the clutch to stop and start, but I wouldn't be comfortable using it on the public road, the likelyhood of running out of limbs and hitting the brakes a second too late is high and I'm not comfortable with that.

Likewise driving with my prosthetics, it's possible and some of the military guys do it, but I'm not comfortable with not being able to clearly feel where my foot is if I needed to stamp on the brake suddenly.

Europa's are interesting to me because they're cheap enough to consider a realistic, DIY resto-mod. A modern engine and DCT or even just a modern slushbox in a Europa chassis? That could be very good, as long as your engine and gearbox are a similar weight and same position as the originals...

3gadgriff

74 posts

186 months

Tuesday 19th May 2020
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mark387mw

2,191 posts

282 months

Wednesday 20th May 2020
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Banks Europa developed a Smart Europa. It was semi automatic.
An old link so no idea it it was developed further.

http://www.banks-europa.co.uk/smart_europa.htm

RONV

642 posts

149 months

Wednesday 20th May 2020
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Richard rebuilt one of my engines for me great bloke and a great job

CallMeLegend

8,858 posts

225 months

Sunday 31st May 2020
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Took delivery of this yesterday, bought unseen other than a couple of videos & lots of photos and research.



It is (in case you hadn't guessed) VERY modified, running around 240bhp at the flywheel.

Many things to sort, first priority is get an MOT, the will mean a few jobs.

Fixing RH headlight, may be a bulb, may be more.
Sorting handbrake, quite frankly, like most Elans, it is abysmal, needs a caliper strip & service.
Fixing some loose interior trim (door cards)
Sorting the fact that you can take the keys out & walk away and the engine will still run, you have to stall in, suspect it's the ignition relay or ignition switch.

Further down the line once it's MOT'd it can be a running esoration, will need:-


Sort out the occasional overboost - possibly needs wastegate porting or may be as a result of a 2.5" exhaust

Fix the erroneous readings from the fuel gauge

Fix the intermittent speedometer

Sort the hood seals

Strip, lube & reassemble the side window mechanism as they are slow.

Re-upholster seats

Source a glove box

Source some front arch liners

Fix/replace stereo

Sort orange pealy paint


Edited by CallMeLegend on Sunday 31st May 18:57

Purso

948 posts

117 months

Monday 1st June 2020
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Congrats looks lovely, any more pictureS?

CallMeLegend

8,858 posts

225 months

Tuesday 2nd June 2020
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Purso said:
Congrats looks lovely, any more pictureS?

Viperzs

976 posts

182 months

Wednesday 10th June 2020
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Photo from Monday and then the Moors yesterday. First time it's been out since I put it away for Winter.







Edited by Viperzs on Wednesday 10th June 10:35

leglessAlex

6,003 posts

156 months

Monday 15th June 2020
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I've posted rather a lot in the thread, apologies... but I do like my car. Some superb ones over the last few pages for sure!

Brothers by Alex D, on Flickr

Taking in the sunrise by Alex D, on Flickr

Lotobear

7,932 posts

143 months

Friday 19th June 2020
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Top of Hartside Pass on Monday - we swapped cars from Langwatby to the top so I got to drive an Alpine for the first time and my pal the Evora.

We each liked them; my pal thought the Evora had better steering feel and he also enjoyed the manual. I thought the A110 felt very light, quick and nimble but I would need a few more drives to get used to the paddles.

Overall the conclusion was the A110 felt digital and the Evora more analogue.


Catsuma

38 posts

158 months

Saturday 20th June 2020
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My treasure...


chemistry

2,707 posts

124 months

Monday 22nd June 2020
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Catsuma said:
My treasure...

Like.

Jackmuirhead6

27 posts

89 months

Friday 3rd July 2020
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This is my Club Racer, had it for 2.5 years. Rare in the factory matte black.


BertBert

20,328 posts

226 months

Thursday 22nd October 2020
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Here I am doing a shakedown of my first lotus at a damp Donington at the end of last month. Raced in the Guards trophy at the weekend coming 4th in class out of the 8 there. Lots of learning to do to get to grips with it. Fab fun!
Bert


GTRene

19,004 posts

239 months

Friday 23rd October 2020
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Viperzs said:
Photo from Monday and then the Moors yesterday. First time it's been out since I put it away for Winter.

cool in that colour/combo.

anonymous-user

69 months

Friday 23rd October 2020
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Thanks, eBay!


anonymous-user

69 months

Friday 23rd October 2020
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BertBert said:
Here I am doing a shakedown of my first lotus at a damp Donington at the end of last month. Raced in the Guards trophy at the weekend coming 4th in class out of the 8 there. Lots of learning to do to get to grips with it. Fab fun!
Bert

Love!

BertBert

20,328 posts

226 months

Friday 23rd October 2020
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Trouble is, I want to drive it around on the road as well it's such fun! Might have to get another one for that biggrin